Kernel of fun for Boston eateries

Credit: Ted Fitzgerald

KERNELS OF FUN: Manager Sam Treadway displays popcorn at Back Bar in Somerville.

Credit: Ted Fitzgerald

KERNELS OF FUN: MET Back Bay offers truffle popcorn.

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Popcorn’s going upscale as trendy local restaurants and hotels give the snack staple, named by Time magazine as a top food trend for 2013, the gourmet treatment.

JM Curley

During the summer, the staff at JM Curley was battling temperatures of 100-plus degrees in the kitchen, and their menu staple — Bacon Peanut Brittle — just wouldn’t hold together. Enter Curley’s Cracka Jack, a mix of caramel candied popcorn, bacon and roasted peanuts. “Our Cracka Jacks also feature bacon, so they’re very similar flavor-profile-wise,” said Suzanne Dagenais, general manager. The popcorn was one of chef Samuel Monsour’s experiments — and it was a success. “Now it’s one of our favorite menu items, and will never leave.” It is $6 at JM Curley, 21 Temple Place. JMCurleyBoston.com.

MET Group

Kathy Sidell added truffle popcorn to her bar menu at the MET Group restaurants after her cousin Karen, “an inspiration for all things cool,” according to Sidell, returned from a trip to the south of France, where her boutique hotel had the goodie. “She said, ‘You’ve got to figure out how to do this,’ and it’s been on the bar menu ever since,” Sidell said. It is $6 on the bar menu at all MET locations, metrestaurantgroup.com.

Revere Hotel

Chocolates on the pillow seemed too stuffy for the Revere Hotel’s turndown service, so executive chef Bader Ali came up with something different. “Because we are in the Theater District, (popcorn) seemed to fit. We wanted to go with different flavors and themes, it’s simple to produce, and it’s a fun late-night snack.” Ali loves experimenting with flavor combos — Thai curry, za’atar and soy wasabi caramel have all seen guest rooms in recent weeks. “Popcorn is a good canvas.” The treat is currently only available to guests of the hotel, but popular demand could see it surface elsewhere. 200 Stuart St., reverehotel.com.

Back Bar

Back Bar wanted patrons to feel welcome when they walked in the door with a complimentary snack. “We started brainstorming and hadn’t come up with anything too amazing. During this time I happened to go to a party where they served flavored popcorn and I thought how easy and delicious it would be to do this for the snack,” says Sam Treadway, bar manager and co-owner. After a number of test recipes, spiced caramel popcorn was declared the winner. It is free at 9 Sanborn Court, Somerville. Backbarunion.com